Ahmed to spin magic for Vics

EMERGING leg-spinner Fawad Ahmed is well-placed to shoulder Victoria's spin-bowling responsibilities for the rest of the season. The 31-year-old, a recent approved asylum seeker from Pakistan, will make his Australian first-class debut on Monday in Victoria's home Sheffield Shield match against Queensland.

Ahmed was 12th man in the Bushrangers' last match, away to South Australia, but will play against the Bulls after fellow leg-spinner James Muirhead was dropped.

While Victoria has lost two players, James Pattinson and John Hastings, to national duty, it has regained Clint Mckay after the home limited-overs series against the West Indies.

The last spot in the Bushrangers' line-up against the Bulls is likely to be filled by one of two all-rounders: seam-bowling Marcus Stoinis or spin-bowling Clive Rose.

Queensland's squad is the same as from Saturday's Ryobi Cup match. The only likely change is inexperienced seamer Ronan McDonald in for Ryan Harris, who is unlikely to be considered ready for four-day cricket after playing his first match of an injury-plagued season on Saturday.

Leg-spinner Muirhead, who debuted against SA, will instead play in Victoria's Futures League match away to New South Wales, which also starts on Monday. The squad, captained by Alex Keath, also features fast-bowler Jayde Herrick, who made his comeback from a stress fracture in his foot in a mid-week, one-day match against the England Lions.